02 Aug 2007
The option to vote via the internet at May's local elections in Rushmoor was convenient for voters with nearly one in five taking up the opportunity, but it had no impact on turnout leaving questions over value for money, the Electoral Commission said in an official report published today.
Rushmoor Borough Council invited everyone on its electoral register to register to vote electronically at the elections on 3 May as part of a pilot they held, commissioned by the Ministry of Justice. Those who did so were able to cast their vote via the internet in advance of polling day from 6am on 26 April to the close of poll at 10pm on 3 May. Eighteen per cent of voters in Rushmoor chose to vote this way.
The Electoral Commission has a statutory duty to evaluate all electoral pilots and publish a report within three months of the elections taking place.
Andrew Scallan, Director of Electoral Administration at the Electoral Commission, said:
"Rushmoor Borough Council is to be congratulated for delivering a well-run pilot which gained positive feedback in our public opinion research. It undoubtedly gave to some a more convenient and easy way of voting, and its reassuring that no complaints were received at all by the council, or the police - concerning security breaches relating to this technology.
"Our report concludes that this particular pilot was successfully managed by the Council, however were calling on the Government today to end the further piloting of modern electoral techniques such as e-voting, which have already been extensively tested, until it has published a clear strategy for modernising the electoral system."
Other key findings in the report are that:
- there was no impact on turnout, which actually decreased very slightly from 36 percent in 2006 to 35.2 per cent at these elections;
- most internet voters (70 per cent) said they would have voted anyway;
- approximately 60 per cent of e-voters surveyed considered that the e-voting processes used were secure;
- the system provided for e-voting, which was supplied by ES&S, was reported as being generally easy to use although many found their username difficult to remember;
- the cost of the pilot scheme provisions was £584,775, with the majority met by the Ministry of Justice. This is equivalent to £137 per electronic voter; and
- the most popular period for e-voting was between 5pm on 2 May and close of poll at 10pm on 3 May.
Twelve pilot schemes were held across 13 local authority areas across England on 3 May, trialling different methods such as advance voting, signing for ballot papers, electronic voting and electronic counting.
The evaluation reports for each of the 12 pilots, and five themed papers on the methods trialled are available at: www.electoralcommission.org.uk
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For further information contact:
020 7271 0531 / 0530 / 0529 / 0527
email: press@electoralcommission.org.uk
outside office hours 07789 920414
Notes to editors
1. The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. Our aim is public confidence and integrity in the democratic process.
2. Under the Representation of the People Act 2000, local authorities in England or Wales can submit proposals to the Secretary of State to carry out an electoral pilot scheme. Electoral pilot schemes can involve changes to when, where and how voting at local elections is to take place, how the votes cast at the elections are to be counted, or allow candidates to send free election communications to electors.
3. The Electoral Commission has a statutory duty to evaluate and report on any pilot scheme approved by the Secretary of State under the Representation of the People Act (RPA) 2000.
